Chapter 5

AN: For anyone who cares Tahryn is pronounced 'taa-rin', with a long extended vowel at the beginning. All main and sexually active characters are over 18. I do not condone violence of any kind. Wolf rules are very different from human rules.

Dick Smith fidgeted while he waited for his son and his wide to arrive downstairs. Degan Canon had been round that morning to talk about Kurt and for a long moment Dick had been truly worries by the alpha's presence in his house. Apparently an agreement had been reached between his son and the spencer boy who he wanted as his mate. The boy had bid against him, claimed him back so to speak, and the two had reached an agreement about who was going to be dominant. Tahryn would rule when they were human, Kurt when they were wolves. Dick only wondered what happened when Kurt was a big strong dominant wolf and Tahryn was a big strong dominant human. In order to better oversee the beginning of this uneasy truce there would be no mating ceremony as was traditional, but Whelan Spencer had invited them all to dinner. As a beneficial side effect Kurt would be forced to eat more cooked food than Barbara had managed to feed him in weeks.

Jene Camra was up there now, Dick could hear them arguing, but tried not to listen in on what was going on.

"Kurt you'll look really good in them. Trust me."

"I don't want to look good for him ever again!" accompanied by the sound of something smashing against the wall. Dick sighed, teenagers. He was sure his hormones hadn't been this wild when he was Kurt's age. Of course when he was eighteen, he'd already been courting Barbara for years. They'd been part of the same original pack, had mated and moved to South Sea before Degan had taken over the alpha position and started buying up land so that they could all be together to make a life for their new family. The fact that it taken them so long into their marriage to have Kurt was something that weighed on Dick.

He'd been sort of OK with the idea of not having pups. Sure it would have been lovely to hear the patter of tiny feet, but Dick had never been great with kids even when he was one, so three years into their mating being told that his wife was unable to conceive hadn't been so hard. Barbara had not felt the same as him. She'd always wanted a big family, she was one of six sisters and had wanted a little brood of her own. Had it been the years of human fertility treatment that had led to the strange circumstances of Kurt's birth? Dick had decided long ago that they would never know. But raising a pup like Kurt, a literal puppy for years and years, had taken its toll on them both. They never discussed trying to have more children, the one they had was too much to handle. And Kurt had been raised by the pack. If Dick was honest with himself, Kurt had never really felt like his son. The boy had as many father figures as a child could need, Dick was just one of many, they did not have a special connection. And what was there was fading fast. Kurt had arrived home from school in his blackest of moods, shifted before he'd even gone upstairs and shredded his clothes. Dick wondered how well he would cope when his son publically surpassed his ranking in the pack.

Finally there was a stomping on the stairs and Jene Camra appeared. She looked generally pissed off.

"Fine. I damn well give up." She gathered up her hair, running her fingers across her skull, "Oh, sorry Mr Smith."

"Is he being more than usually impossible today?" Dick asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Well if he can stay in one shape for the next hour or so he'll be at least presentable. It's not what I wanted to do but..." she threw up her hands and shrugged.

"Oh Kurt dear, don't you look nice," Barbara paused before making her way downstairs. Dick's heart swelled to see his mate. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to Dick, his wife was perfect in her red sweater and cream skirt combo. She wasn't especially pretty, or thin, or special, but to Dick Smith, she was the only thing worth living for. Funny thing love.

Kurt trudged down the stairs after his mother looking like the sulky teenager he was. Jene hadn't gotten enough cooperation to gel his hair, and the thick fringe flopped over his forehead in what was probably quite a cool modern way, though Dick wasn't sure he agreed completely. He was dressed in another pair of those skinny jeans with army style boots and a black woollen jumper with a slashed neck. He was dressed, he looked like his clothes even fit him, and Dick was happy enough with that. He made sure to smile at his son with closed lips when he passed him.

"Can we bloody go already?" Kurt toed open the front door, hands in his pockets.

"Language darling," Barbara muttered then turned to Jene, "Thank you Jene darling. Tell your father that I'll definitely bring more devilled eggs to the meet on Friday. See you then."

"He'll be really pleased Mrs Smith. Have a nice night." Jene paused at the door where Kurt stood looking glum, "Give the boy a chance Kurt. He's trying, least you could do is try back."

So it was that Dick walked his small family across the cul-de-sac to the house of his son's mate. It was a strange set up. Normally mated pair either already lived together or were given a place to live together as soon as the bond was formed. Often you wouldn't see a new couple for days while they explored each other, made room for each other in their hearts and lives. But Dick supposed that his son's mating was not like most others. Barbara had brought a chocolate caramel girdle buster pie and wine with them, and Dick hoped that Kurt's temper could be controlled enough to let everyone have a relaxing meal.

Whelan met them at the door with an expansive gesture and Kurt managed to be barely civil as he stepped into the house. What surprised Dick the most was the next person to greet Kurt got an actual reaction from the boy, and it was Isla, the littlest of the Spencer girls who flew at Kurt and wrapped herself around him.

"Hey there little bit."

"Kurt!" He squeezed him harder, "You were so awesome today. All my friends think I'm really cool because I know you!"

"I am pleased." Kurt ruffled the little girl's hair and Dick's heart swelled with a pride he hadn't known in years.

"Lucy fancies you!" Isla giggled.

"Does she now?" Kurt picked up the twelve year old and carried her through the house over his shoulders like a fireman, "And did you tell her that you're my favourite girl?"

"Isla loves the idea of having another brother," Chaska, the eldest girl, came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron. "Wow. Thank you for bringing dessert. It smells amazing."

"Oh stop," Barbara flushed at the compliment, "You guys have really made a nice home out here."

"Thanks. Though that's most Merhan, she's a demon with a paintbrush."

"What have I done now?" came a shout from the main room.

"Nothing. Finish laying the table you." Chaska shot back, "Please, follow me."

Dick could see the longing in his wife's face for a big happy family, lots of kids running around and helping out and getting in each other's business. Dick thought of it, but decided that he much rather have one unruly child and his loving mate by his side, than many loving children and life without his wife. He felt bad for Whelan, but the big man had obviously coped well.

He hadn't seen Tahryn Spencer since the meet and had forgotten how big the other teenager was. Tahryn was an overwhelming presence at the big dining table, his shoulder's much broader than his father's. When he stood up to shake Dick's hand Dick decided not to challenge him, and they simply nodded at each other. Dick didn't much feel like being proved the least dominant male present. Even though he was straight through and through, Dick could tell that his son had made a good choice for a mate.

Eventually Kurt returned with little Isla and all were assembled. Kurt took the seat directly to the left of Whelan's head of the table position with Isla next to him. Dick took the other end of the table when Tahryn sat down opposite his son. Eventually everyone was settled and Chaska served the first course.

Kurt pushed the food around on his plate. He hated that his parents were here, he felt like he was being watched the entire time. He hated that he could smell the desire and sex mingled with Tahryn's scent. What had been done to him in the shower made him quiver with shame. He'd let Tahryn dominate him, if not physically then in every other way, and he hated that he'd liked it. When Isla bumped his ribs he'd eaten the starter of ... what? Chicken in a pancake and some sort of creamy sauce thing. Kurt was sure that Willis would be pleased. Every chance he'd had he had been urging Kurt to eat more cooked food, to try new things. Apparently his body needed it.

The main dish was easier to handle, two big lamb shanks in gravy and rosemary, though it made his teeth itch to have Tahryn serve himself before Kurt. But the lines had been drawn, and no matter how unhappy Kurt was with them he did not want to force Tahryn to command him at the dinner table. Being commanded to do anything was bad enough, but to be told in front of his parents no less to 'wait' like a dog would be completely unbearable.

Kurt didn't join the conversation and let the 'adults', his parents, Whelan, Tahryn and Chaska, talk without him. Merhan jumped in on their conversation ever y now and then, leaving Kurt and Isla mostly to themselves.

"So are you really mated to me brother?" Isla spoke whisper quiet in the knowledge that Kurt would hear regardless.

"Yup." Kurt ate a bit more of his lamb. It was really good.

"What's it like?" Kurt swallowed too soon and coughed before he realised that that wasn't what the twelve year old had meant.

"Frustrating. I don't think he likes me very much."

"You're wrong." Isla spoke quickly, and then refused to re-join the conversation and began chatting to her father about her latest fantastic grades.

Kurt felt Tahryn's leg bumped his under the table. He'd been keeping well to his side of the table, so he knew the gesture was deliberate, and somehow it shorted his brain straight to his cock. Kurt met his mate's husky blue eyes and wanted to growl and whimper all at once. Tahryn just grinned like the smarmy bastard he was as Chaska began to clear away the plates. She served the pie his mother had brought for dinner but when he reached for a piece Chaska pulled his hand away.

"What?" Kurt couldn't keep the bark from his voice no matter how much he liked Tahryn's sister.

"For you." She presented him with a plate with another chocolate fondant on it and small spoon. Went Isla reached for the treat Chaska growled at her, "No. This is a special one just for Kurt. I think you'll really like it."

Kurt looked at her suspiciously, then took a bite out of the little chocolate pudding. Then his dick jolted so hard in nearly came in his clothes at the dinner table. If the previous chilli and chocolate fondant had tasted like Tahryn then this must have been made of his mate. It was perfect. Kurt let out an involuntary moan as the hot spicy sweetness flowed through him, tasting like the scent of his mate, sun on sea and everything. Kurt had the pleasure to watch Tahryn's pupils dilate fast enough that the room must have blurred.

"What did you do to him sis?" Merhan was looking between the pair sceptically.

"Chilli, chocolate, sea salt, lime juice, cinnamon. After what you said I figured that was about the right combo to taste like my brother. Was I right?"

Kurt managed a moan in response that was downright X-rated. By the time Kurt finished eating, both he and his new mate were breathing hard and looking flushed.

"Well then." Whelan stood trying not to look too uncomfortable. The lust on the room was palpable, "Coffee in the lounge then. We'll leave the boys to, erm, clear up." Kurt barely noticed everyone leaving, his eyes were locked on his mate and Tahryn wasn't looking anywhere else either. When they were alone Tahryn managed to swallow noisily.

"Right then..."

"Yeah." Kurt's cheeks flushed pink and he felt suddenly guilty for his reaction.

"Fuck you look so good when you do that."

Kurt brows drew low.

"You don't believe me? Come here." Tahryn slid his chair back from the table and when Kurt stood on legs he doubted could support him for very long he saw the obvious bulge in Tahryn's neat chinos.

"I did that?" Kurt was more than a little surprised at Tahryn's enormous reaction him.

"Never doubt it. Come here, I wanna hold you."

"But..."

"No but's," Tahryn voice was so low it was nearly a purr, "I practically fucked you on the table when you ate that damn fondant. I'm showing a fabulous amount of self-restraint by not doing it now. Come here."

Kurt wished that it was command that made him walked around the head of the table towards his mate, but it wasn't. He sat sideways in Tahryn's lap and tried not the wince and the sensation of that huge cock trying to nestle into his arse.

"I can't believe you think I'm sexy." Kurt kept his voice low, not especially wanting his parents to overhear the conversation from two rooms away.

"No one has ever told you you're sexy?" Tahryn sounded incredibly doubtful, "Nope, don't answer that. Though I have to say, the new look helps. I can actually see what you look like now."

"Oh fuck you." Kurt said, but there was no feeling in it.

"Not yet pretty boy, not yet."

"Don't call me that Tay." Kurt folded his arms over his stomach when he felt the bigger man's hands start to creep up the hem of his jumper.

"Oh come on pup, let me see."

"Pup?" Kurt's tone was acid.

"Alright. Too much too soon. Here," Tahryn cupped the back of his head and turned his neck to examine his fading love bite. He ran a finger across the purple-ish bruise and Kurt shuddered in his arms, "Sensitive huh?"

Kurt nodded mutely, not really trusting himself to speak right then.

"Well how about I add to it?" Tahryn's voice was whisper soft against his skin and the big blond werewolf fastened his lips over the bruise, grazed the flesh with his teeth and pulled new blood to the surface while his mate moaned and writhed in his lap.

"Chaska that was downright evil of you."

Chaska simply shrugged her shoulders and sat down in her favourite low armchair with a very fluid motion. Her sister's words did nothing to admonish her self-satisfied feeling, her plan had worked perfectly. Granted if it hadn't she might have caused an all-out war between her brother and his new mate, but it hadn't happened. Kurt had nearly jumped out of his skin and Tahryn had looked wild and lustful and distracted, but it had worked.

"And deeply inappropriate." Her father added, going to the drinks cabinet to pour himself a stiff brandy. "Smith?"

"Please." Kurt's father was ashen. Obviously he'd never seen his son turned on before.

"Oh please!" Chaska sighed, "Would you rather they fought every time they saw each other for the next six months? I would actually like my brother to be happy with his mate."

"Oh they'd have worked it our eventually." Barbara Smith said, waving a dismissive hand.

"Before one of them lost a limb?" Chaska asked icily.

"Point taken. Warn us next time Chas."

"Yes Dad."

"Anyone for scrabble?" Isla held up her favourite board game, at which she always won, to a collective groan.

Tahryn had practically seen the stars in daylight his reaction to his mate's pleasure had been so strong. The expression on Kurt's face, such bliss and pleasure, had caused him to forget to breath. It had taken every ounce of control he had not ruin his jeans, and more not to simply grab Kurt and finish them both off on the table. Damn the fucking crockery. Now his mate squirmed in his lap, driving him nuts with panting and whimpers and Tahryn felt like a god. Kurt's sudden almost unwilling submissiveness made him feel all powerful, responsible, and turned on more than he'd been in his entire life. Kurt smelt even better full of unbridled lust than he did when he was pissed off, and Tahryn could practically feel the time it would take for his mate to fully submit to him shrinking as he continued to work on the boy's neck.

Kurt's skin was soft like velvet, super smooth and buttery, and he was practically boneless in Tahryn's lap. Tahryn leant back when he felt that he'd done enough damage, and exhaled onto the new raised red-purple mark on his mate's pale skin. Kurt shuddered. The big tanned werewolf's jeans were too tight, constricting his need for his mate, and he burned with the desire to simply rip them off and have his way with him. But something held him back, stilled his hands. Don't push him too hard or you'll break the spell and we'll be back to square one. Tahryn took a couple of deep breaths to try and get his raging desire under control, then ran his hand up under Kurt's jumper. The boy moaned and tried to pull away, but Tahryn held him fast with his other arm around the back of Kurt's shoulders.

"Come on pup, let me see you."

Kurt shook his head violently, suddenly mute. Tahryn knocked his hands out of the way and lifted the hem of the jumper from underneath. There was something so perfect and submissive about Kurt letting him see his belly, flat and taught rather than toned, sensitive and compliant. He ran his fingers over his boy's skin, delighting the tonal difference between his one deep tan colouring and Kurt's marble paleness.

"You're so cute when you blush." The soft rose colour had flooded Kurt's cheeks, he obviously didn't blush hard, or often, and Tahryn felt an enormous sense of pride to have made the other young man embarrassed. For now, Kurt being all shy and insecure was only going to help his cause, surely. Kurt pulled down his jumper, but didn't knock Tahryn's hands away.

"You said we could go for a run."

"Did I?" Tahryn didn't much care what he'd said. Kurt was hotter than the inside of an oven in his lap and having his mate so close, smelling like damp nature and chocolate was driving him nuts. He still hadn't kissed him properly since they'd been officially joined. He fingered the bruise he'd left on Kurt's pale neck and sighed. God he wanted to see that blissful expression again. Maybe Chaska had left more chocolate fondant lying around somewhere?

"Yes. You did." Kurt stood up, wriggling like a slippery fish from Tahryn's hands and Tahryn growled to be denied his mate's contact. "You want me to be all pliant with you? I have to get what I want too."

"But pup..."

Kurt snarled. Obviously the spell of being touched had worn off enough for his instincts to kick back in. Either that or Tahryn had pushed him too hard again.

"You running or not?"

"No." Tahryn stayed seated. This was his house dammit, his mate, he should be making the rules.

"Fine," Kurt snapped. For a moment Tahryn thought he'd gotten his way after all as his boy began to peel out of his clothes. Then he saw the hard flinty look in Kurt's eyes and with a thud realised that they were back where they started. "I'm not in school, dinner's over. I don't have to be human anymore. Bye." He dropped his jeans, giving Tahryn a half second glance at his naked, dripping body and changed. The black wolf snarled.

"Kurt!" Tahryn was on his feet advancing towards the wolf before he realised what he was doing. Body language. He looked like and threat and when Kurt laid back his ears and snapped at him he stilled, but stood between the wolf and the door. It was not in hindsight a smart move. Kurt never turned his back on his mate, his tail held out like a wire, every muscle tense and jumping. His fangs bared and electric lights glinting in his feral eyes. He looked like a nightmare.

"I'm not changing for you." Tahryn regretted the words as soon as he spoke because the wolf that was Kurt darted forwards and snapped at his ankle, coming away with a tear of denim. Tahryn backed away, hands held outstretched. "Be reasonable Kurt. Please." But the wolf snarled and sprang away through the now open doorway, crashing into the back garden and out into the damp night. Tahryn roared after him, a noise which had no words. The wolf heard it, pain and loss and anger and fury all balled up together. He didn't stop.

Tahryn stood in the doorway of his house with Kurt's clothes in his hands, staring out after the wolf. Sure he could be just there, hiding in the shadows of plain sight, but Tahryn's senses felt stretched. He knew that Kurt had bee-lined away from him into the forest towards the copse by the big flat stone, he could feel all his attention drawn in that direction. The fact that Kurt had effectively denied him by switching forms made him incandescent with rage.

"FINE!" He shouted into the night, it was practically a roar, "Have it your way Kurt! Run away from me because you're scared of what you want!" He slammed the glass sliding door shut so hard it shattered, and his family and Kurt's parents arrived to sound of tinkling glass.

"Tay?" his smallest sister asked his name while stepping forwards, but Tahryn was so rigid with anger she stopped.

"No one fucking speak to me. I'm going upstairs." Tahryn stomped off towards his room. He slammed the door and stopped short of destroying everything in sight, forcing himself to take a big, deep calm breath. It did nothing for his rage, but it made him feel slightly less like tearing down the whole world and stomping on the wreckage. He flopped onto his bed and folded his hands behind his head before he hit anything else.

Why had Kurt ran? Everything was, for pretty much the first time, going well for longer than about six seconds. He'd been so turned on by his mate, even after getting off in the shower, that touching him and holding him in his lap had seemed like the most natural thing to do. And Christ, the look on Kurt's face when he'd been eating ... Tahryn could well imagine that expression appearing again went he finally got the opportunity to bring the other guy off properly, hoping involving a bed and sheets and lots of kissing. Tahryn felt a shudder run through him from sternum to groin and growled. Being aroused still seemed so fucking inappropriate.

You pushed him too hard... Tahryn wanted to thump the wall at the voice in his head which he knew was right, You pushed him too hard what with the shower and the cuddling and the 'pup' thing, of course he bolted. Tahryn gritted his teeth. He hated that he was right, and he had screwed it up. Oh and you marked the hell out of his neck, like the guy needs another reminder that he's no longer in charge.

Went he thought about it like that, it was no wonder Kurt had shifted to his dominant room. He'd done it for all the reasons Tahryn hadn't wanted to shift too and go running with him as a wolf. He didn't want to give in yet. Did Tahryn want to have the big black wolf pin him to the ground and ream him senseless? Yes, yes he did. Did it he give into that urge? No. And why? Because he was petrified of what it would mean for his reputation, scared of what he really wanted. Kurt was just the same. Two dominant males were not supposed to mate. There was a good reason for it. The fact that Tahryn was rubbish with body language and had mated a wolf who spent his whole life judging everyone on their body language just made everything that little bit more complicated.

Tahryn knew sleep was going to evade him for a really long time, so he did what every nineteen year old boy does when he'd been denied. He masturbated.

It was Friday. Tahryn hadn't seen his mate since Kurt's hasty departure after dinner on Wednesday. He'd smelt the wolf around, his senses were still aching out towards the forest, but Kurt hadn't been home, hadn't been at school and no one had seen him. The separation was starting to drive Tahryn out of his mind. No one drove with him to school in the morning, and humans and wolves alike didn't touch him. Tahryn was ... spiky. His conversation with Jene Camra on Thursday afternoon had done little to improve his mood.

"But you must know where he is!" Tahryn had stood in the Camra's back garden, pleading with the young woman dressed in her layers of natural dyed hemp, "You're his only friend."

"And why aren't you his friend?" Jene had given him no leeway since Tahryn had hesitantly explained the series of events around Kurt's departure. "You're his mate. You should know where he is. Can't you feel it?"

"Yes." Tahryn admitted sulkily, "But I'm not going in there after him."

"Well why the hell not?" Jene snapped at him, and Tahryn had never felt less dominant or powerful in his life.

"If he's not going to submit to me, then I'm not doing it for him."

"Oh my god!" Jene threw up her hands in disbelief. "Boys! Can you even hear yourself? If that's the case you're going to staying denied and horny for the rest of your life because I have known that wolf my entire life, and I have never seen him back down from a fight he knew he could win."

"He agreed! He accepted my bid. It's not his choice!"

"Oh listen to you!" Jene looked like she was about to punch him, "Get off your high horse! You two deserve each other that's true enough. You're as stubborn as he is."

"Please Jene ... I miss him."

Jene had turned on him with an icy glare, one hand on the door.

"Oh you should have thought of that before you suggested your comprise. You honestly thought he was going to spend time in a body he doesn't feel is his, just so you can dominant him in a way which he doesn't think is right?" Then she slammed the door in his face and left him feeling worse than before.

Now it was Friday afternoon, school was over for another week and everyone was getting ready for what should have been, and technically still was, his first pack meet with his mate. When Tahryn thought about it too much his head hurt. It had been a week since he'd first tried to have an actual conversation with Kurt and gotten his hand bitten, since they'd played in the wood like overgrown cubs and Tahryn had gotten snapped at yet again. He'd run off scared to the tune of Kurt's mournful song. It seemed like every time they'd met, once of them had ended up running away. Or being hurt, or sometimes both.

Tahryn was tired. He was tired of being angry, tired of being human. But he hadn't dared shift forms. The pull of his mate's scent was so strong that Tahryn knew if he shifted he wouldn't be able resist any longer. He would run into the woods and surrender to to Kurt's big black furred self. And he wanted to, god he wanted to, but there was no way that Tahryn was going to admit defeat first. But Kurt was going to have to come to the pack meet, not to show up would be an insult of the highest order. Tahryn had brushed his hair and put on his best jeans along with his favourite blue timber wolf shirt. It was due to be dry again, which was nice, and there was going to be another barbeque. Kurt hadn't been human, he hadn't eaten any actual food since Wednesday. The thought of his mate starving, shivering and un-provided for made Tahryn shake with stress.

They'd been fighting for two days solid, nearly forty four hours. In the last seven days they'd shared five kisses, ten fights, a pair of fantastic orgasms and two complete breakdowns. And Tahryn had commanded him twice. He felt shit about it. Being at war with his mate was exhausting. His father had always said that when you were with your mate properly it was like you could tell what they were thinking. Tahryn would have given anything to get an insight into Kurt's head. Anything at all.

Well you could always shift and let him fuck you into oblivion like you want... Tahryn groaned at the though, half ecstasy, half shame. But did didn't want his first time with Kurt to happen out in the woods somewhere in the dark. He didn't want to feel guilty about he wanted. When did it all get so complicated? He asked himself, knowing the answer. Oh, about fight number four when you realised that you were in love with him and too chicken shit to do anything about it. And then Koby Dean came along to ruin your life.

A week. It had been five days since Koby ... Tahryn didn't like to say it in his head, but he forced himself. Five days since Koby raped him. Four days since Kurt had saved him from himself when he'd broken down in public at college and had to destroy something. Three days since they'd laid claim on each other and agreed to be mates. Two days since he'd last seen or spoken to the boy he loved. Fuck. Had he ever actually told Kurt he loved him? No.

Ah, fuck.

Kurt could smell his pack, the hearty mix of scents that made up the aromatic image of the South Sea pack he called his family. They were all down there, crowded into Degan Canon's back garden, blues and green, yellow-browns and greys. Sharp scents and sweet scents, subtle and strong. They were his family and he was scared of what they must think of him. Jene had come looking for him that first night, but though she had a good nose, no one knew the forest better than Kurt and he had evaded her. Degan had come the next day, and sneaking away from the alpha when he was looking for you was an exile offence, almost as bad as a challenge, and Kurt had felt guilty. Degan had left messages, sent love and thoughts of Kurt and worry.